Strapping machine for boxes



p 3 H. a. TWOMLEY 2,092,099

STRAPPING MACHINE FQR .BOXES Filed Feb. 1, 1 35 s Sheets-Sheet 1- p 7, 1937. H.- E. TWOMLEY I 2,092,099

STRAPPING MACHINE FOR BOXES Filed Feb. 1, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 H. TwoMLEy STRAPPING MACHINE FOR BOXES Filed Feb. 1, 19:55 6 Shegts-Sixeet s Sept. 7, 1937. H. E. TWOMLEY 2,092,099

STRAPPING MACHINE FOR BOXES Filed Feb. 1, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 lUJ - I Guam/ Sept. 1937- I H. E. TWOMLEY 2,092,099

STRAPPING MACHINE FOR BOXES Filed Feb. 1, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Sept. 7, 1 937 PATENT OFFICE.

'sraarrmo monmn FOR Boxes Herbert E. Twomley, Riverside, CaliL, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Acme Steel Company,

Chicagm IlL, a corporation of Illinois Application February 1, 1935, Serial No. 4,499 7 Claims. (01. 1-10 My invention relates. to strapping machines for boxes, and has particular reference to machines for applying straps across the covers of packed boxes to hold the covers in tight relation upon the boxes. 1

In the art of packaging materials, and particularly in the fruit and vegetable industry, "it 'is the common practice. to fill a box or container with fruit or vegetables toa considerable distance 10 above the top level of the sides of the box and then to apply a cover across such overfilled boxes by springing the ends of the cover down upon, and into contact with, the ends of the box, leaving a bulge in the cover to accommodate the pro- 1 5 truding oroverpackedfruits or vegetables.

'In order to maintain the cover in tight relation upon the box during transportation andv storage of the fruits or vegetables, it is necessary the box, due to the compressive action of the strap upon the cover and fruit.

In my copending application, Serial No. 739,734,.

filed August l4,.1934, Band-strapping machine, I have disclosed a machine for applying straps of the character noted above across the centers of over-filled boxes, the machine being particularly adapted to apply straps in the form of lengths of flat banding material, supplied to the machine 55 from a continuous length wound upon a reel from which a predetermined length of strap material is drawn, and one end of which is fastened to. the box. The strap material is then drawn tightly across the cover of the box and the material is secured to the box, and then this length is. severed from the continuous length of supply; after which the box is freed to move out of the machine. 7

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide an improvement for machines of the character set forth in my copending application Serial No. 739,734 by permitting the entry of the box into the banding machine for automatically starting the banding operations.

Another object of the invention is toj'provide a banding machine of the character set forth wherein a box placed in a predetermined posi- 5 tion in said machine will automatically start other end of the predetermined length of strap a the machine into operation to perform the complete cycle of banding operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character set forth, wherein a box, upon entering into strapping position upon the machine, will automatically start the power mechanism for the machine and release all brakes usually'employed to hold the machine in'stationary condition between banding operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide Va 0 machine of the character set forth with a boxejecting mechanism which will be coordinated. with the banding operations to supply a predetermined force to the box to eject the same from the machine as soon as the banding operation is completed.

Another object of the invention is to provide .a box-ejecting mechanism for a machine of the tion of the banding machine. a

, Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character set forth with a band material-holding reel which may be readily adjusted to hold various quantities of band mateterial supply, and which, when once adjusted to receive a predetermined supply will remain in said adjusted position until the entire supply of material is used therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reel for holding a supply of banding material 40 of the character set forth, wherein the reel may be opened to receive a supply of band material and when closed will automatically adjust itself to the quantity of banding material supplied thereto.

Other objects and advantageswill be apparent from a study of the following specifications, read 4 in connection with the accompanying drawings,

wherein Figure l is a side elevational view of a strapbanding machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view, looking in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top, plan view of the box-supporting table employed in the machine shown in Figs. .55

I 1 and 2, view being taken along lines III-III VII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the starting mechanism employed with the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the connections employed for applying a brake to the band-supporting reelrshown' in 2, 5, Sand 7;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of the boxejecting mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 4, taken along line X-X of Fig. 4; and v Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view of the boxejecting mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 4,-taken along line m-m of Fig. 3.

. Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 a band-strapping machine, the general construction and operation of which is illustrated and explained in detail in my copending application Serial No. 739,734, hereinbefore referred to, such machine comprising, generally,

a suitable base frame I from which rises four up-' rights 2 constituting legs upon which a box-supporting table 3 is mounted in a horizontal position. The box-supporting table constitutes a section of roller conveyor and is constructed as shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4 of a pair of side rails l and 5 spaced apart a distance somewhat in excess of the width of a box to be strapped upon my machine.

Extending across the space between the side rails 4 and 5' are a plurality of conveyor rollers 6 upon which a box i (see Figs. 1 and 2) may be readily moved into strapping position and then out of said machine.

The mechanism for applying a'bandl of predetermined length of strap material across the centers of covers 8 of the box I is explained in detail in my copending application hereinbefore referred to, and as is illustrated herein this mechanism includes a pair of upright supports 9 and IE on one side of the box-supporting table 3 at about the center thereof. while a similar pair of uprights is similarly located upon the opposite side of the nailing table 3 immediately behind the uprights 9 and Ill as viewed in Fig. 1, the upright III of which is seen uponthe left-hand side of the machine. as viewed in Fig. 2. Slidably mounted upon theuprights 9 and It at opposite sides of the machine, is a press shoe II secured through toggle links I2 and spring I3'to a crosshead M suspended at the upper ends of a pair of vertically extending drive bars I5 and I6. The drive bars I5 and I6 are formed with gear racks Ill and I8, respectively, at their lower ends engageable with suitable pinions I9 and 20 mounted upon'a drive shaft 2I extending across the machine below the box-supporting table 3 'so that upon rotation of the drive shaft -2.I inone direction the drive bars I5 andv I6 are drawn downwardly to bring the press shoe I I into pressing relation with the cover 8 of the box upon the supporting table 3 to thereby compress the center of the cover downwardly upon the overpacked fruit ready for the application of a strap thereto.

The press shoe II is formed of two spaced member's 22 and 23. respectively, between which extends a strap guide 24 adapted to guide the end of a band or strap 25 across the cover of the box from the left-hand side of the machine, as viewed in Fig. 2, to a positionalong the right-hand side of the machine as viewed in that figure. The

drive bars I5 and I6 are also adapted, upon their downward movement, to actuate nailing mechanisms 26 and 21 at opposite sides of the machine to first secure the right-hand end of the strap to the box and later to secure the left-hand end of the strap to the left-hand side of the box as the drive bars I5 and I6 continue their downward movement.

The band material employed in my machine is preferably in the form of a continuous roll of banding material wound upon or held upon a H suitable supporting reel 28 and may be drawn from the reel as needed by feeding mechanism coordinated with the movements of the drive bars I5 and I6. This feeding mechanism includes a pair of feed rollers 29 and 30 spaced apart by such distance as will permit them to grip the band.

material betweenthem, the roller 29 being formed integrally with the gear 29a mounted upon and rotatable with the drive shaft 2 I while the other roller 30 is formed integrally with a gear 30a meshed with the gear 29a so that these rollers will rotate together at thesame peripheral speed. The machine is equipped with suitable power mechanism for performing the operations thereof, comprising a motor 3! mounted upon the base I of the machine and connected through suitable crank connectlons'32 to a crosshead 33 interconnecting the lower ends of the drive bars I5 and I6 so that when the motor 3I is set into operation it will firstdraw the drive bars I5 and I6 downwardly from their elevated position as shown in Fig. 2 to their lowermost position.

, ward movement of the'drive bars I 5 and I6 will be accompanied by arotation of the'feed rollers 29 and 30 in a direction necessary to draw a length ofstrap material from the reel 23 and feed the same upwardly through a suitable guide tube 34 and thence under thestrap guide 24 to the righthand side of the machine, .as viewed in Fig. 2, to a v position at which it will extend across a subsequent box placed in the machine. The strap thus fed into the machine is ready to be applied to a box. It will also be observed that upon the next operation of the motor 3| the drive bars I5 and I6 will be drawn downwardly to apply this length of strap to the box.

Nailing mechanisms 26 and 21 are arranged upon opposite sides of the machine, the nailing mechanism 26 including a nail driver 26a arranged to be drivenhorizontally by a bellcrank, of which one arm 26b connects with the nail driver 26 while 'the driver 26a inwardly to drive a nail through the right-hand end of the strap material as viewed in Fig. 2, but the effect of this spring is restrained by a latch 26f engaging and holding the arm 26c or the bellcrank in its retracted position. A cam 26g on the drive bar l5, and'located in advance of the position of the roller 26d, will engage the latch 26! upon the initial downward movement of 'the' drive bar l to allow the spring 26c to move thev driver 26a inwardly to start the nail through -the right-hand end of the strap and into the side of the .box I. Also, the first part of the downward movement 01 the drive bars |5 and |6 will bring the press shoe down tocontact with the cover 8 of the box and compress the same, arching it over the center of the box.

About the same time that the nail is driven into the right-hand side of the box, as viewed in Fig.

2, the downward movement of the drive bars l5- and it will have rotated the shaft 2| in a direction opposite to that necessary to feed the strap material into the machine, and this reverse rotation will cause the rollers 29 and 30 to retract the strap (which is now secured at its free end to the box), drawing the strap taut acrossthe compressed box cover. Further downward movement of the drive bars l5 and I6 will cause a roller 2111 on the drive bar I6 to engage one arm 21b of a bellcrank of the nail driving mechanism 21, the other arm 21c connecting to ahead 2|d which .carries a nail driver He and a cutter 21f and moves both the driver 21c and the cutter 2' toward the left-hand side of the box; as viewed in Fig. 2. The inward movement of the driver He drives a nail through the left-hand end of the length of strap which is'now taut across the box, while the cutter cuts the strap immediatelyafter the nail has been driven through the same. The roller 26d on the drive bar |5 will engage the bellcrank arm 260 at about .the same time to complete the inward movement of the driver 26a. to complete the driving of the nail on the righthand side of the box. Continued operation of the motor 3| will then elevate the drive bars l5 and i6 to lift the press shoe 011 of the cover of thebox, to free the box for exit irom the-machine, while at the same time this upward movement of .the drive bars i5 and i6 will feed a. new length of strap across the guide 24 ready for the next box.

' bellcrank 26h will be swung to the position'shown in Fig. 2 to engage below the arm 26c to thereby retract the nail driver 26a. A stop pin 2671, on the bar i5 limits the rotation of the bell crank 26h as is necessary for it to operate as described. The

drive bar i6 is provided with a roller 21g spaced below the roller 26a. and engageable with the arm 21 of the nailing mechanism 21. so that the upward movement of the drive bar |6 causes the roller 21g to lift the arm 21:; and retract the nail driver 21e. I

By referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 8, it will be observed that the control for the starting and stopping of the motor 3| consists of a switch.

35 mounted upon the base of the machine, to

be actuated by a link .36. connected to a-crank-' arm 31 mounted upon an oscillatable shaft 38 iournaled upon the base oi'the machine and having a foot pedal 39 extending outwardly there from :to permit the manual operation 01 the switch 35 if desired. However, since all of the.

operations of the machine subsequent to the pressure of the foot pedal 39 are to be accomplished automatically merely by holding the switch 35 closedthe ease with which the machine may be operated and the speedwith which boxes may be strapped in the machine may be considerably increased by automatically starting the motor 9| as soon as a box I has entered into strapping position upon the box-supporting table 3. For this purpose I have provided an automatic switchoperating mechanism to be actuated by the entry .of the box 1 into proper position in the machine,

which mechanism consists essentially in a box stop roller 40 mounted rigidly near the outer end of a stop rod 4| secured in a pair of bearing members 42 and 43 attached to the side rail 5 of the box-supporting table.

It will be noted that the bearing members 42 and 43 (Figs. 1 and 8) constitute bearings in which the stop rod 4| is mounted, not only for rotary movement to swing the roller 40 intothe path of the incoming box 1 and then out of the path of the box I, but also permits the rod 4| to slide longitudinally of the machine.

A compression spring 44 (Figs. 1 and a) is illustrated as surrounding the stop rod 4| between the bearing member 42 and a collar 45 so that normally this spring 44 tends to hold the stop'rod in its normal .position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, but will permit the rod 4| to be pressed to the right to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 1' when a box I engagesand moves the stop roller 46 as the box 1 is drawn or shoved into strapping position on the box supporting table 3. It will also be noted that the when the box is to be ejected from the machine at the completion of the strapping operations.

By providing the longitudinal movement of the rod 4|, I may utilize the force of the incoming box I 'to control the switch 35 by mounting a bellcrank 46 upon a bearing member 41 attached to the rail 5 of the box-supporting table I, one arm of the bellcrank 46 extending upwardly into the pathof longitudinal movement of the outer end of the stop rod 4|; the other arm of the bell-crank 46 having a link 48 extending therefrom through a lug 49 on the foot pedal 39 and providedwith a nut 50 to engage the upper surface of the lug 49 whenever the bellcrank is swung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 8.

It will be apparent, therefore, that when a box is fed into the machine and passes along the box- -supporting table 3 toward strapping position thereon, the end of the box 1 will engage the roller 40 and move the rod 4| toward the bellcrank 46, as viewed in Fig. 1, thus operating through the bellcrank 46 and foot pedal 39 to actuate the foot pedal in the same manner as though this foot pedal had been operated by the manual force of the operator of the machine.

The actuation of the foot pedal 39 clones the switch 35 to start the motor 3| into operation, the shaft 38 being provided witha crank 5| having a roller '52 thereon engaging in a notch-53 on a disc 54 to which the crank connections 32 are coupled, so that as soon as the motor 3| has been initially set into operation the disc 54 will start rotating. -Thereafter, any release of pressure .upon the foot pedal 39 or upon the bell-crank 66 will not permit the motor 3| to'stop until the disc 54 has operated through one complete revolution, representing one complete cycle of strapping operations of the machine. At the end of the cycle of operations. however,that is after the crankpin 32 has been swung through one complete revolution to draw the drive bars l5 and l6 downwardly and th en return them to their uppermost normal positiorL-the notch 53 will again be aligned with the roller52 and will permit the shaft 38 to swing back into switch opening position, permitting switch 36 to open and stopping the motor 3i in this position.

As was explained more in detail in my co pending application hereinbefore referred to, the shaft 38 may also be provided with suitable brake-releasing mechanism which will release a brake from the motor 3! whenever the shaft 38 is rotated to start the motor, and which will again apply the brake when the shaft, 38 is returned to switch-opening position.

It will be observed from an inspection ofj'Figs. 1,2, and 8 that the roller 40 is permitted to swing inwardly toward the box I only a'limited distance due to the arrangement of a stop pin 55 extending at right angles to the stop rod 4i engaging a limit-pin'fifi' fixedly mounted upon the upright support 9. It will also be observed that the drive bar it is provided with an outwardly extendingpin 51 upon which is mounted a roller 58 engageable with a" release-pin 58 also extending at right angles to the rod 4i so that when the drive bars 15 and i6 arrive in their lowermost position (representing the position at which both ends of the strap have been nailed to the box), the roller 58 will engage the releasepin 59 and will rock the stop rod 4! in the direction of the arrow 60 shown in Fig. 8, thus swinging the roller 40 out of alignment with the end of the box I. This action will permit the spring 44 to slide the stop rod 41 to the left,.asviewedx in Figs. 1 and 8 so that when the drive bar l5 again moves upwardly and releases pressure upon the release-pin 59, the roller 40 will engage the side of the box but will not returnto its position over the end of the box. noted at this time that the disc 54 will prevent theshaft ,38 from moving back to its switchopen position until the drive bars liandl it have again been elevated to their normal uppermost position, and hence thoughthe stop "rod ti may be. retracted to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, the

machine will continue in operation until the end of the cycle of operations but the box will be released from the roller 40 ready'for ejection into strapping position in the machine. This-rear stop is illustrated particularly in Figs. 1, 3,:andt4 It will, however, be

members 85 at the end of the box supporting table 3 Spaced inwardly from the angle Sic is a block Bib engaging the front edge of the cross member 65 so that the angle Sid and the block Gib constitute apivotal bearing upon which the plate 3i may pivot from an elevated position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to a position below the level of the rollers 3 "as the box slides, onto the supporting table 3 and permitting the plate ii to swing upwardly again to it's normal position when the rear end of the box passed be- .yond the plate 6|. A suitable spring Sic may be employed to normally press the angle Bla tightly against the'cross members to normally of the table 3 and suitably supported in the end cross members 65 and 66 constituting cross braces between the rails 4 and 5 of the table 3. The carriage 63 is normally urged in the direction of movement of boxes over the supporting table 3 by means of a tension spring 61, one end of which is secured at 68 to the carriage 63, while the other end is secured to an adjustable collar 69. adjustably secured as by means ofa screw 10 to' the rod 66; The dog 62 is pivotedupon' the carriage 63, as indicated at 1|, so that it may be swung, downwardly to a position below the bottom of the box when the box is moved into position on the supporting table 3, but is nmmally urged to its extended position as shown I in Figs. 3 and 4 by means of a flat spring 12..

I prefer to employ the moving parts of the strapping elements of the machine to draw the dog 62 rearwardly of the box 1 to stretch the spring 31 and engage the dog 62 with the rear end of the box 'I. With this arrangement, re-

lease of the roller 40 and release of pressure by the press shoe I], will allow the. tensioned spring 61 to forcibly eject the box'from the machine.

when fully contracted it will hold the. dog 62 in the position indicated by dotted lines 13 and will be drawn-from this position back to the full line position as shown in Fig.3 by means of a chain 14 connected to a downwardly. extending The spring 61 is preferablybf suchdength that" lug 15 onthe carriage 63, the opposite end of mounted upon the drive shaft 2i. Thus when bars l5 and IS, the chain 14 will be wound up upon the spool, I6 and will retract the carriage 63 to position the dog 62 at the rear of the" box I. At thetime that the'roller 40 is moved ry away from the forward end of the box, the shaft 2| will be starting its reverse rotation, tending to slacken the chain 14. Also, immediately subsequent to the removal of the roller 40. from the front end of the. box, the drivebars l5 and I6 will start toward their elevated position and will raise the press shoe out of contact'with the cover of. the-box. Thus the spring 61; will be free to; force the carriage 63' along the rod 64 the chain ll being connected to a spool 16 rigidly' the drive shaft U is rotated in aiclockwise direc-. tion during the descent of the press shoe i I, drive' and the box will be ejected from the machine. It will be understood by those skilled in this art that the reverse rotation of the shaft 2| under control of the cross head 33, is much more rapidv and in advance of the time when spring 61 is effective to move the box so that little or no resistance will be offered by the chain 14 to the movement of the carriage 63, the effect being that the carriage 63 will be snapped, from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 to the position shown'in dotted lines in this figure.

From'an inspection of Figs. 3 and 4, it will I be observed that in addition to the outer rails 4 and 5 of the box-supporting table I provide a pair of inner rails 11 and 18 extending in parallel relation to each other and to the outer rails 4 and rails 11 and 18 may be employed as a guide track along which the carriage 63 mayslide, as is indicated particularly in Fig. 18, the carriage 83 having a pair of parallel flanges 8I and 82 thereon spaced from each other by a distance slightly less thanthespacing between the inner rails "and 18. Thus the, carriage 63 will be prevented from tilting during its movement along the rod 64. The inner rails 11 and 18 are also employed as a mounting means for the bearing members 83 and 84 inwhich a guide roller '85 may be mounted, the chain 14 passing over the guide roller 85 in such direction that clockwise rotation of the shaft 2| will cause a retraction of the-carriage 83.

In connection with band-strapping machines,

wherein the band material is to be drawn from a continuous supply or roll of band 'material, it is necessary that the roll of band material be mounted upon a rotatable reel or spool. In view of the fact that the-band-material is relatively heavy and that a reel of such band material has great inertia, diiliculty has been encountered by the employment of an idler takeup mechanism illustrated and described in my copending application hereinbefore referred to. However, I find that the difflculty may be entirely overcome by employing a reel and braking mechanism as illustrated particularlyin Figs. 2, 5, 6, 'l-and 8 herein.

By referring particularly to Figs. 2, 5, 6, and '7, it will be observed that the reel 28 may be constructedof a pair of discs 88 and 81, the disc 86 being rigidly mounted upon a spider 88 rotatable upon a bearing 88 formed upon a hub 88 which is in turn rotatably mounted upon a stub shaft 8I fixed in a bearing block 82 pivoted as at 83 in a supporting frame 84. The supporting frame 84 is provided with a base 85 adapted to rest upon the floor of the packing-house or shop wherein the machine is located and is connected to the base I of the machine by suitable straps 88 attached to the base -I of the machine and the mental gears 88, the segmental gears being pivoted upon short shafts 88 secured to the spider 88, each of the segmental gears being provided with an outwardly extending arm I 88 having a pin I8I extending at right angles thereto. Thus if the spider 88 is rotated relative to the hub 88, the pinion will rotate each of the segmental gears, swinging the pins I8I about their pivot shafts 88. From an inspection of Figs. 6 and 7 it Willbe observed that suchrelative movement between the spider 88 and the hub 88 will cause all of the pins to be simultaneously drawn inwardly toward the axis of rotation of the reel 28 or will cause all of the pins ml to be moved outwardly away from the axis of rotation of the reel. I prefer to employ this movement of the pins I8I as a means for readily permitting the placing I of a new roll of band material upon the reel, and

I find that it is less difllcult to load the reel when it is in a horizontal position than when in a vertical position. For thisreason I mount the reel upon the pivot pin 83, permitting the reel and its hub to beswung from the vertical position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 to the dotted line position shown in that figure whenever it is desired to load the reel.

By referring particularly to Figs. 5 and 7, it will be observed that the hub 88 is provided with a nut I82 upon the exterior of the disc 86 which nut is keyed directly to the hub by means of 38.

a key I88. Hence when the reel is tipped to its horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 5, one flat side of the squared nut I82 will be presented to the fiat surface of-an upwardly extending finger I84 formed upon the supporting frame or stanmay be rotated relative to the reel to withdraw the pins IM to permit ready loading, after which the disc 86 with its spider may be swung back in the opposite direction relative to the hub 88 to tightly engage and accurately center the new roll of band material which has been placed upon the reel. When the new roll of band material has been placed on the reel and the pin I8I swung outwardly to tighten the roll therein, the spider 88 and the hub 88 may be locked against further relativemovement by means of a suitable knurled eccentric I82a rotatable about one of the pins 88, the knurled surface of which may engage'the exterior of a flange I82b formed upon the nut I82, the knurled eccentric being held in this engaging position by means of a small spring I82c.

The disc 81 on the opposite side of the reel should be adjustable toward and away from the disc 86 to conform with various widths of rolled material, which; may be placed upon the reel.

For this purpose I have illustrated an extension I85 of the hub 88 over which a flange IDS-formed upon the disc 81 may slide, the disc 81 being heldtightly ,against the roll I81 of band material by means of a suitable hand nut' I88 which may be threadedupon the extension I85.

When the reel is .tumed from its horizontal position to its vertical, or working, position, the alignment of the reel 28 may be'adjusted by means of'a set-screw I88 extending through the standard 84 and into engagement with an outwardly extending finger II8 formed upon the bearing block 82-.

As was described in my copending application hereinbefore referred to, the material fed from 7 the reel 28 to the feed rollers 29 and 38 passes first over an idler pulley III mounted upon a movable arm H2 pivoted as at H3'to the base I of the machine. The idler pulley III is normally urgedto the full line position as shown in Fig. l by means of a spring H4 engaging an outwardly extending branch H5 of the arm II2 so that as the feed rollers 29 and 38 start to rotate to draw a. length of material from the reel 28, the first movement of the material will cause the idler roller III to be drawn toward the center of the machine without actually starting the reel 28 into rotation. When the tension on the spring H4, however, builds up to a predetermined value, overcoming the inertia of the reel 28, the reel 28 will'start to rotate, thus allowing material to feed from the reel in sufilclent quantity to permit the idler roller III to return to its full line position. The amount of movement of the idler pulley I I I from one of its extreme positions to the other should be such as will be occasioned by the drawing of one complete length of strapping material used in one strapping operation of the machine and thus when the idler pulley III is returned to its outermost position the reel 28 should be stopped 'as otherwise an additional quantity of material will be unreeled therefrom,"

providing slack in the material and affording the possibility that the material may become tangled on the reel 28. I utilize the movement of the idler pulley HI for the purpose of applying a ment of the arm H2 through which crank member extends a brake-operating rod ill, the OPPO- site end of the rod I i! being connected to a crank H8 secured to a stop shaft H8, which shaft has a secondary crank I28 extending therefrom and engaging a pin I2I in the lower end of a brakeoperating lever I22. The brake-operating lever I22'is fulcrumed at I23 upon the standard 88' and is provided witha brake shoe I24 adapted to bear against the disc 88. When the idler pulley III is moved toward the center of the machine by the drawing of the band material into the machine, the movement of the arm H21 and-its lug H8 will permit pressure to be relieved upon the brake shoe I24 allowing the reel 28 to rotate freely but as soon as the proper amount of material has been withdrawn from the reel and the bers. J

The machine described herein operates as follows: With the machine parts in their normal rest positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a length of strap has been fed from the reel 28 and across curred during the return movement of the-drive bars i5 and IE to their uppermost positions after the past previous operation of the machine). A

; box I, with its cover 8 is drawn into the machine across the rollers 6 until the front end of the box engages the roller 48 on the box stop mechanism.

The inertia of the moving box causes the roller 48 to be moved toward the right, as viewedin Fig. 1, to cause the rod M to engage the bellcranklli, causing the switch operating rod 48 to be depressed, rocking-shaft 88, and closing switch 35, to start the motor 3| into operation. The forward movement of the rod 4| is accompanied by a compression of the spring 48 so that as soon as the rear, or left-hand end of the box is moved past the rear stop 6|, this stop will move up into engaging relation, behind the left-hand end of the box and thus hold the boxin a fi xed central position, with the center or the box and its cover aligned with the press shoe II.

As themotor starts to rotate, it will rotate the cam disc 54 relative to roller 52 attached to the shaft 38, moving the roller 52 out of the notch 58 on the disc to prevent the return of the shaft 48 to its original rest positions, and thus maintaining the switch 36 closed until one complete rotation of the disc 54 has been accomplished.

As hereinbefore described, the initial rotation of the motor M will cause the drive bars I5 and IE to be drawn downwardly, the first part of the downwardmovement of the drive bars releasing the nail driving mechanism 26 to start the nail into the free end of the strap and into the righthand side of the box, as viewed in Fig. 2. Fur-I ther downward movement of the drive bars I5 and It will bring the press shoe II into compressive relation'with the cover of the box, compressing the center of the cover upon a line extending transversely of the cover and at about the same time the shaft ,2I will be rotated by downwardly moving drive bars l5 and I6 to cause the feed rollers 29 and 38 to retract the strap, drawing it taut across the now'compressed cover. Further downward movement of the drive bars I5 and I6 will cause the completed nail driving operations of the driving mechanisms 26 and 21,-aswas hereinbefore described, the nail driving mechanism 21 including a cutting device for cutting off the length of strapwhich has been attached to the box from the remainder of the strap supply. Further rotation of the motor 3| will cause-the drive bars I5 and I6 tobe re-elevated to their normal position, the.upward movement of the drive bars being accompanied by a reverse rota-f tion of the shaft 2| and a reverse operation of the strap feeding rollers 29 and 80 to feed a new length of strap into the strap guide .25ready for the next box.

The final downward movement of the drive bar 15 will cause the roller 58, carried thereby, to

engage therelease pin 58 on the rod 4i, thereby rotating the rod 4| tomove the roller 48 out of its engaging relation with the end. of the box I, freeing the box ready for movement out of the machine. At this time, however, the box is held against movement by reason of the engagement of the press shoe II with the top of the box so that it ls not until the drive bars start from their upward movement and release the press shoe II from the box that the upward movement of the box may start.

the box is released by the press shoe II, the

spring 81 will cause the box to be automatically ejected from-the machine. While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention herein, it is to be understood that, I do not wish to be limited to any of the details of construction shown herein, except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

, 1. In abox-strapping machine, a box-supporting table for supporting a box while a strap is applied thereto, strap applying means associated with said table for securing a strap across a box on said table, power means for actuating saidstrap-applying means, a box-stop associated with said tablefor engaging one end of a box as said box is moved into strapping position on said table, and means operably responsive to the engagement of said box-stop by said box for actuatingsaid power means to apply a strap to said box.

2. In a strapping machine, a box-supporting table for supporting a box in a position to be strapped, box-stop means associated with said table and normally extending into the path of movement over said supporting table, to stop said box in a predetermined position on said table, strap-applying means associated with said. table for securing a strap across a box, power'means for actuating said strap-applying means, means operably responsive to the engagement of said stop by the arrival of a box in said predetermined position for actuating said power means, and meansactiiated by said strap-applying means for moving said box-stop out of engagement with said box when said strap is applied to said box. 3. In a machine for applying straps to boxes,

a box-supporting table on said machine for supporting a box in strapping position, box-ejecting means associated with saidtable includinga dog,

a spring normally. urging said dog in the direction,

of movement of boxes across said table, strapapplyingmeans for applying straps to boxes including reciprocating driving means therefor,

engaging one end or a'box on saidnailing table,

and movement of said driving means in the re- 50 verse direction frees said sp ng to-eject said box.

I 4. In a machine for applying band straps to boxes from a continuous length of band material, a box-supporting. table associated with said ma- .chine for supporting abox in strapping position 55 thereon, means for feeding predetermined lengths of strap material from said supply including driving means therefor alternately operable in two directions, box-ejecting means for ejecting boxes from said table, including a dog and a spring normally urging said dog in the direction of movement of boxes acrosssaid table, and means connecting said driving means to said box-ejecting means whereby movement of said driving means in one direction will draw said dog against the force or its spring to a position to engage the end of a box and movement of said driving means in the opposite direction will free said spring to eject a box from said table. v

5. In a box-strapping machine for applying straps to boxes, a reel for supporting a supply of strap material adjacent said machine, drawing means on said machine for unwinding predetermined lengths of strap material from said reel, and means on said machine and actuated by said strap applying-means for applying a brake to said reel when a predetermined length of material has been unwound from said reel by said drawing means.

6. In a machine for applying straps to boxes, a reel for supporting a supply of strap material adjacent said machine, drawing means on said said drawing means, and means operably rereel preventing further rotation thereof.

'7. In a machine for applying straps to boxes, a

reel for supporting asupply oi strap material adiacent said machine, drawing means on said machine moving in one direction to unwind material from said reel to pass the same over a box to be strapped and operable in the reverse direction to draw said strap material taut upon said box, take-up means on said machine interposed between said reel and said drawing means, including a pulley over which said strap passes between said reel and said drawing means, means mounting said pulley for movement in one directlon when said strap is drawn thereover by said draw ing'means, tension means for urging said pulleyin the opposite direction upon reverse movement of said drawing means, brake means associated with said reel, and means operably responsive to the movement oi said pulley in one diriection for releasing said brake-and in the other direction for applying said brake.

HERBERT E. 'I'WOMLEY. 

